Heavenly and earthly Parnassus

During the Renaissance and early 15th century, the Muses gradually find their way back to the Olympus, disguised as daemonic divinities depicted ‘alla franzese’, (as at Palazzo Schifanoia), and as allegorical divinities portrayed ‘all’antica’ – (Raffaello via Mantegna). The figure of the thoughtful Muse as the representation of intellectual meditation (from Raphael’s Parnassus to the School of Athens).